David and Patricia Stallings married in August of 1988, and with the belief that they were about to embark on their part of the American Dream, the couple bought a small white farmhouse on Lake Wauwanoka in Hillsboro, Missouri

Twenty-four-year-old Patricia gave birth to the couple’s first child, Ryan Stallings, in April of 1989. Even though Ryan suffered from gastronomic distress since birth, the couple were overwhelmingly happy in their new roles as parents. But on July 9th, 1989, that would all change as Ryan became horribly ill with nonstop vomiting and labored breathing. Patricia drove full speed up Highway 21 toward St. Louis with her sick baby cradled in his car seat. In a panic, Patricia got lost and ended up at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital instead of going to St. Louis Children’s Hospital, as she intended.

Once there, Ryan was immediately ushered into the ICU, put on a ventilator, and had numerous tubes and IVs going into his tiny body. Patricia was overwhelmed when the doctors couldn’t seem to diagnose what was wrong with him. They slammed her with a barrage of questions and then ran a complete blood and urine analysis. The staff would not allow her or David to be alone in the room with Ryan. Anytime David and Patricia were in Ryan’s room, there had to be medical staff present.

Three days later, Patricia was arrested on assault charges for poisoning Ryan.

Join Jen and Cam as we talk about "Preconceived Notions: "Patricia Stallings"

Written and researched by Lauretta Allen
Listener Discretion by Edward October from OctoberpodVHS
Executive Producer Nico Vitesse of The Inky Paw Print

Sources:
https://www.newspapers.com/image/139943203/?terms=Patricia%20Stallings&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/819970269/?terms=Patricia%20Stallings&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/207793816/?terms=Patricia%20Stallings&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/139942291/https://www.newspapers.com/image/139942651/?terms=Patricia%20Stallings&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/139958402/?terms=Patricia%20Stallings&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/141238228/?terms=Patricia%20Stallings&match=1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/141439318/https://www.newspapers.com/image/141439346/?terms=Patricia%20Stallings&match=1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Stallings
http://www.msbp.com/stlouis.htm
https://www.law.northwestern.edu/legalclinic/wrongfulconvictions/exonerations/mo/patricia-stallings.html
https://unsolved.com/gallery/patty-stallings/
https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Ryan_Stallings
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559906/
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Folbigg
https://www.childrenshospital.org/programs/epilepsy-genetics-program